“What happened this Shabbat was a connection between the ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis and the families of the abductees… The connection we will have here… is the very unity we need!”’

“Thirty-six families of the Israelis remaining in Hamas captivity came together recently to experience a Shabbat in Jerusalem.

The event was the brainchild of Shelly Shem-Tov, mother of hostage Omer, 21, and Tzili Schneider, the founder of Kesher Yehudi, an organization created to build friendships between ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis who would never normally have contact with each other.

There was great diversity in the families that attended the Shabbat gathering. The vast majority were secular, and many of the participants had never observed a full Shabbat in the past.

Niva Wenkert, hostage Omer Wenkert’s mother, told the group that it was the first time since Oct. 7 she had disconnected from an endless and constant stream of checking digital information, news and social media. “You got me to disconnect from all of that for a full day, and yet to feel connected, busy, and active and it was the most incredible experience.”

Shem-Tov summed up: “Now, at this moment, Shabbat is over, and I can’t describe in words the amount of love and unity that there was this Shabbat because it makes me so emotional. I had no idea what a big, connecting, unifying event this would turn out to be.”

“What happened this Shabbat was a connection between the ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis and the families of the abductees and everything in between. The connection we will have here is the connection we, the Jewish people, need to have for generations. This is the very unity we need!”’

– Excerpts from the article